In general, the present invention relates to a method of producing chocolate on an industrial scale.
As is known, conventionally, the production of chocolate is based on the performance of a whole series of steps of which the basic steps comprise:
cleaning: to clean the raw cocoa beans, PA1 torrefaction, by which the beans are roasted, PA1 winnowing and de-germing: to remove shells and germ, PA1 solubilizing by treatment with hot alkalis, PA1 grinding and mixing of various types of cocoa and possibly other components such as, for example, sugars, various flavourings, milk and the like, PA1 refining: by roller machines to produce a refined chocolate paste which is then subjected to PA1 CONCHING, possibly with the addition of cocoa butter and lecithin, to remove moisture, air and volatile substances which are unpleasant from an organoleptic point of view, all to develop the qualitative characteristics of chocolate and, finally, PA1 controlled cooling and forming or moulding. PA1 producing a continuous flow of the chocolate paste and arranging it in a thin, dynamic layer and, PA1 subjecting the chocolate paste of the thin, dynamic layer to intense mechanical mixing whilst it flows in a heat-exchange relationship with a wall which is kept at a predetermined temperature. PA1 supplying a continuous flow of the chocolate paste into the turbomixer in which the internal wall is kept at 20.degree.-60.degree. C. and in which the bladed rotor is rotated at 250-1800 revolutions/minute, PA1 centrifuging the chocolate paste with the formation, from its admission to the turbomixer onwards, of a thin, dynamic, tubular layer which is advanced by the blades of the rotor towards the outlet opening of the turbomixer, in a heat-exchange relationship with the heated or cooled wall thereof, and PA1 simultaneously working the chocolate paste of the thin, dynamic, tubular layer mechanically, by means of the bladed rotor.
It is also known that, of all the steps listed above, conching is of fundamental importance and is actually critical for the purposes of the final quality of the chocolate.
The conching step, as carried out up to now, provides for the refined chocolate paste to be worked mechanically in longitudinal or annular metal conches. This step is conventionally carried out on successive large batches, each of a large mass of refined chocolate paste, which are mixed and remixed slowly and continuously (one after another) for about 24-48 hours or more at temperatures of between 40.degree. and 80.degree. C., according to the type of chocolate to be produced.
Essentially, this is a discontinuous or batch production method in which a large quantity of mechanical and thermal energy, which is required to produce good chocolate, is transferred to a large mass of chocolate paste.
In this connection, the consistent and conventional teaching of the prior art is that the more slowly the energy transfer takes place, the better are the organoleptic characteristics of the final product.
However, although, on the one hand, the prior art can give good chocolate on the other hand, it always suffers from problems constituted by 1) the considerable time taken and 2) discontinuous working, which are characteristic of the procedure (conching) which has been followed up to now to transfer the necessary energy to the chocolate paste.
Other recognized problems are connected with the fact that processing is carried out on large masses of chocolate paste which render the entire operation difficult to control, which do not permit optimal homogenization or distribution of energy throughout the mass, and which require bulky equipment and machines which are difficult to operate or to maintain and the cleaning of which, in particular, is slow and laborious. In this connection, it is important to observe that, when it is necessary to change from the production of a certain type of chocolate to another type, the time taken for the conching is further prolonged by the time taken to eliminate all traces of the first type of chocolate from the equipment and to restart the entire plant and set it in operation again on the second type of chocolate.